BillsVet

Guy by the name of Tim Ruskell is out of a job as GM of Seattle because he re-signed Shaun Alexander to a long term contract after he ran for 1880 yards at age 28. Johnson is younger, but it's extremely risky to re-sign a RB to a huge contract no matter the age. The propensity for injury is huge.

Have the Titans paid their fullback a 7 year 49m contract? As great as Johnson is, replacing RB production is not comparable to finding a new quality LOT. CJ's a special player, but he's not as valuable without Michael Roos, Eugene Amano, and David Stewart leading the way for him.

Gailey has more experience, and I'd assume he's better than Schonert and Van Pelt. I'd even go so far as to say he's not going to hamstring the offense with unimaginative play-calling like Jauron demanded of Fairchild, Schonert, and Van Pelt. That said, he has one proven WR, a crowded backfield, a QB who couldn't keep the job in 2009, and finally, a very bad OL that is particularly weak at OT. I would expect to see a lot of three step drops, a heavy dose of running behind the interior OL, and a fair amount of Spiller.

Bill Parcells. Guy had a huge hand in rebuilding the Giants, Patriots, Jets, Cowboys, and Dolphins. Builds up the OL and DL with big strong guys first, then finds skill players.

I don't think there's anyone who doesn't like Spiller the football player, media or on this board. It's simply that the team is building a running offense without the OL and has used 2 out of their last 5 1st rounders on RB's. To make matters worse, the pass blocking was sub-par in 09 (46 sacks allowed), which means no matter who's running the ball, the passing game won't keep defenses honest. I think Gaither is a ruse, and many have pointed out that this was probably a ploy by Ozzie Newsome to "motivate" his player. No team deals a top notch LOT, right?

This is the best line in their assessment. Those two are the most penalized OT's in the NFL last season, one of whom is coming off an ACL tear while the other was not re-signed by the bottom dwelling Oakland Raiders.

Polian also found his starting RT in the 4th round of 2001 in Ryan Diem. While Tony Ugoh (2nd/07) and Charlie Johnson (6th/06) may not be long term starters, it's clear that it's not how many picks are devoted to a position, but in which rounds and whether or not those guys are starting level. Most starting NFL tackles are 1st or 2nd rounders. My research indicated that only 4 teams since 2006 have failed to use a 1st or 2nd on an OT. They are PIT, DAL, OAK, and BUF. PIT and DAL both have quality QB's who make plays outside the pocket. Both also had decent OT's on the roster during that frame, though Flozell Adams regressed mightily. OTOH, BUF and OAK can probably be grouped together given their lack of success. Peters is the only decent OT either team had in that stretch, and we know how that worked out. At least Oakland least took Jared Veldheer in the 3rd this year. Buffalo believes low cost UFA's and late round draft picks will suffice.

It helps when your DC is Mike Nolan, who may not be a great HC, but can coach and scheme the 3-4 quite effectively. Buffalo has a first time DC who's never been more than a position coach in the NFL. The entire coaching staff, save DeHaven, Sanders, and Catavolos, is quite inexperienced in their current positions. That includes the HC.

Either Jim Overdorf (who still hasn't been fired) couldn't negotiate two contracts at once or Ralph/Littman wouldn't pay both Peters and Evans. I'd say the latter, and then ask when was the last time this team handed out a large contract besides Evans in 2008? It was Schobel during Marv's failed tenure. Besides, OT's are overrated anyway. We can find those guys in the 5th round and take more RB's, WR's, CB's, and S's in the top rounds. That's worked well this decade, and we'll keep trying.

Peterson runs a 4.4 at 220 pounds. Spiller is a tick faster but weighs 195. Minnesota did nothing with Peterson in the playoffs until Favre came along. Buffalo's QB situation is unsettled going into camp. Minnesota has invested a lot of resources into their OT's (McKinnie and Loadholt) while signing G Steve Hutchinson. BUF has Cornell Green and Demetrius Bell as probable starters at OT and hopes Eric Wood returns to pair with Levitre. Minnesota has good receiving threats to keep opposing defenses honest like Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian. BUF has Lee Evans and little else. Spiller has yet to play a down, but he's not going to get 20 touches a game. Chances are, he'll play a role more like Percy Harvin in Buffalo's offense.

Excellent post. At the heart of everything is the mercurial owner, who insists on playing a large role in football decisions, rarely hires quality football minds for GM and HC, and still cannot assure fans where this team goes after his passing. This off-season, three well-known (despite what people feel about them) football personalities declined Buffalo's offers to be here. Shanahan, Cowher, and weeks ago Donovan McNabb said thanks but no-thanks in the span of about four months. Catching lightning in a bottle is not a strategy for rebuilding, and each franchise that's rebuilt in the past few years followed a method that Buffalo goes directly against. If there's one constant this decade, it's their missing on top OL/DL while drafting a surplus of skill players who as a result cannot succeed with little to no support. That has not changed for 2010, and assuming that project players and bad UFA's will fit the void on the OL is foolish.

There are two differences 25 years later: 1. The owner isn't in his mid-60s, but a nonagenarian 91. 2. Contrary to some homer fans, the Bills have not hired arguably the best personnel man in the past 25 years as their GM. This is a 2-3 year rebuild and there's no guarantee they'll have that time, particularly with a strike looming after the 2010 NFL season.

Good thing Denver drafted all those RB's in the first round. And it helps to have Alex Gibbs as your OL coach. Buffalo has another guy who's never been anything but an assistant OL.

No? If it's not fair to say Buffalo will bottom out in 2010, you can't realistically say MIA won't compete in the AFCE. They've added two established stars in Dansby and Brandon Marshall, already have a strong OL, and get excellent coaching from Sparano. I wouldn't count them out. Do you think Ralph Wilson shares this perspective? If you're not trying to win soon, you're not trying especially with this franchise. How long should fans plan on waiting? No one's demanding this team with the SB in 2010 or 2011 (provided they have one). Problem is, 30 other NFL teams have demonstrated some degree of success since Buffalo last was in the playoffs. And BTW, the stadium lease ends after the 2012 season, the owner is 91, and no one will talk about a succession plan. How exciting is reality?

Reading through this thread, it's a study in analyzing everything in absolutes. As in, either one says you take an OT (given the need) or you're wrong. It's not that simple, and there's so much more to it. Each team has varying needs, strengths, and is developing or continuing their team's plan. The Bills just so happen to be rebuilding again, and had few building blocks on either side of the ball, outside of their secondary, an ILB, a WR, and their running backs. Looking at teams that rebuild, OT's are taken frequently in the early stages of the team reshaping. BAL, ATL, MIA, and TEN chose to acquire their OL first, then focus on skill players. I'd say it's worked well for all of them. Meanwhile, BUF insists on skill players and trusts their developmental OT's to allow them to continue taking skill players and 34 DL. It used to be RB's were the marquee picks, because they could run by everyone. Now, defenses are much faster, and I don't care how fast they run, without an OL even the RB with the best vision will be challenged.

The irony in this sentence is thicker than Buddy Nix' accent.

They had got 4 starters in 2006 too: Whitner, Simpson, K. Williams, and Ellison! Four years later it's likely none of those guys are starting material. If the Bills continue getting 4 starters a year, they'll have completely rebuilt by 2014! Flipping sweet!

Dick Levy took more small players than any rebuilding team should. And Buddy Gailey just continued that trend by taking a 200# RB who will operate behind an OL with absolutely no quality at OT. Maybe the defense will be better. Maybe not. But there's no denying the offense will continue to suffer, and Chan Gailey is not the offensive wizard like the homers around here claim he is. Buffalo bottoms out in 2010.

What does this pick say about James "9 mm" Hardy and everyone's favorite, Steve Johnson? It says the team isn't real high on either player to draft a guy in the 4th round.

Name one 6'2" LT in the NFL, because that's what AL is. Cornell Green is their only OT on the roster with experience, and he wasn't re-signed by OAK.

OT's can be found anywhere in the draft. I trust Nix and Gailey, because they know more than me. Didn't Buddy say it's hard for your QB to throw when he's on his back? I hope Edwards/Fitzpatrick/Brohm purchased more personal injury insurance.

It's only been 10 seasons. What's another year, especially when the team has rebuilt three times since 2001? And yet the same guys hiring the football people are still there, no less promoted. New Orleans ran the ball so well and stopped the run too. Ditto for Indianapolis. This ain't the NFL of 1985 anymore, but fans key in on Chan "I couldn't get a NFL HC gig for a decade" Gailey as if it's gospel. You're not the only one. Watch what happens to season ticket sales.

The same thing happens every year: fans get pumped directly after the draft. Reality says most rookies, particularly after the first round, don't make much impact their first season. The book on Levy from 06-07 is finally closing now. He failed miserably, and it's not surprising that fans have gone emotional directly after another draft. Time will tell.

Evidently Buddy Nix made every great pick in SD without input from anyone else. A.J. Smith and John Butler obviously deferred to his omniscience the entire time they were GM's. Sammy Davis, Toniu Fonoti, Tay Cody, Reche Caldwell, Antoine Cason and Craig Davis were not his picks during his time in SD as well. Nix was a PART of a fine front office in SD that found talent. Giving credit to him for the good picks must be balanced with at least a shred of logic.

FWIW, the easiest position to draft in the NFL is running back, particularly in the first round. You've either got the physical skills or you don't. Saying it's brilliant that taking the top RB in the top 10 is brilliant is too easy.